January 2009
It is a new era for DESIGN>In Formation, a new participant in the International Design Media Network (IDMN).
This publication is the brainchild of CEO and entrepreneur Cameron Bramley who has pulled off the daunting task of re-engineering the print magazine DESIGN> IN BUSINESS into an innovative and all-encompassing online communication platform.
The motivation behind this transformation involves ecological considerations, expanding access to specialised design information to a broader international reader base, fostering collaboration amongst industry players, creating greater awareness of the role of good design and facilitating the education process for the various disciplines in design locally and globally.
After the initial ten print editions of DESIGN>, the magazine was re-launched in December 2008 with its first digital edition, covering 25 design industry disciplines.
The new virtual version of DESIGN> has interactive features such as flip pages, animated advertisements, hyperlinks, video and audio feeds as well as the Showcase, Portfolio, Forum and Pressroom sections where readers can contribute or nominate content.
Editorial of DESIGN> covers every voice from student designer to iconic professional, corporate brands, advertising and PR activities and allows all opinions to remain vibrant within their own realms.
Bramley says the information gateway is necessary to design industries because it offers individuals, institutions, companies and South Africa (as a brand), an opportunity to enjoy individualism based on a national intent.
"The new platform paves the way for the development of discipline-specific magazines, as extensions under the DESIGN> brand. These stand alone magazines will align with the relevant association or institute, giving each one a channel for communication with its members and the overall market," Bramley said.
The editorial board consists of a team of experienced industry personalities, including Bev Hermanson (group editor), Icograda Past-President Jacques Lange (DESIGN> editor) and Roy Clucas (DESIGN> creative director), supported by an advisory panel of industry leaders who are actively involved in steering the strategic direction and editorial content.
DESIGN> is endorsed by Decorex SA, Design Education Forum of Southern Africa (DEFSA), the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), Institute of Interior Design Professions (IID), Kitchen Specialists Association (KSA), the SABS Design Institute, Sanlam South African Fashion Week and the South African Communication Design Council (think). DESIGN> also collaborates with a large number of international publications and writers.
Bramley said, "Evolving into the digital world saves the environment, makes us cost sensitive to a changing economic climate and enables accessibility by a greater audience of people."
Testimony to this is the rapid expansion of the readership base to more than 30 countries within the first two weeks, since going live.
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